Brown Ideye and Chinedu Obasi have just confirmed what Daniel Amokachi told me in 2018Even Ideye did not want to talk when I sought his opinion at the time.Imoh Ezekiel - top scorer in Belgium at the time - was also dropped. Instead, players like Shola Ameobi and Okechukwu Uchebo, who also played in Belgium with Ezekiel and was nowhere near as good as Ezekiel, made the squadOne thing is for sure, Keshi's legacy will now be tainted by these decisions.

He probably should have at least made the preliminary squad to be given the chance to duke it out with the Uchebo's and Babatundes' based on his form going into the WC and given his prior pedigree in the team. Same with the likes of Ideye, but its the same sad money story for both...

Didn't Adebayor also accuse Keshi of bribes when he was the coach of Togo ?

Folks there is no smoke without fire.

I am glad this is all comming to the surface, but that era was so rampant with corruption.

The exact allegation was of spivving. Ade was at Monaco and was about to move Arsenal. Lokomotiv Moscow came for him and Keshi allegedly insisted that Ade reject the Arse and move to Moscow. When Ade said no, there was a bust up on the team bus and they had to separated, with Ade screaming at Keshi that "you are not my agent". Keshi was fired on the eve of the WC in 2002 on the back of that issue, after leading them to WC qualification.

It appeared that agents working for Moscow may have paid Keshi to influence the move by Ade.

Didn't Adebayor also accuse Keshi of bribes when he was the coach of Togo ?

Folks there is no smoke without fire.

I am glad this is all comming to the surface, but that era was so rampant with corruption.

The exact allegation was of spivving. Ade was at Monaco and was about to move Arsenal. Lokomotiv Moscow came for him and Keshi allegedly insisted that Ade reject the Arse and move to Moscow. When Ade said no, there was a bust up on the team bus and they had to separated, with Ade screaming at Keshi that "you are not my agent". Keshi was fired on the eve of the WC in 2002 on the back of that issue, after leading them to WC qualification.

It appeared that agents working for Moscow may have paid Keshi to influence the move by Ade.

Why would a coach prefer his player to move to Lokomotiv Moscow instead of Arsenal?

One player who was in the 2014 squad and should make the cut for the 2018 event, spoke to KweséESPN anonymously, and harked back to four years ago, when striker Brown Ideye was cut from the squad to general astonishment within and outside the team.

"Nobody expected that Brown will not be in the 23-man list," the player said. "We were all shocked.

"So now, nobody can say for sure that they are going to the World Cup, because anything can happen."

Daniel Amokachi, who was assistant coach at the time, told KweséESPN in an exclusive interview that he had no idea how and why Ideye was cut from the squad.

"Brown for me was one player that I regret that we did not take to the World Cup in 2014," Amokachi said, speaking for the first time about the incident that shocked a nation.

"Hundred percent I didn't know how he didn't make that list," he added. "I never saw it coming that he didn't make the list till when the list came out and we found out.

"I think I probably had a lot of fights with some people that I shouldn't have, but it happened because I saw no reason why such a player should be left out.

"We ended up going to the World Cup with players that even me I don't even know."

It is a stunning admission by Amokachi, who went on to suggest that outside influences may have played a part in the striker getting cut in favour of a players like Michael Uchebo and Uche Nwofor, both of whom had a combined total of six international appearances prior to the World Cup.

Four of those combined caps (two each) were in the friendlies just before the squad was named

"I think it is very tough if a coach is already an agent," Amokachi continued. "It is very, very difficult, and that is why I always say you cannot be a coach and be an agent at the same time.

"When the World Cup comes around, you always have a lot of new players showing up," he added. "Players who will decide that they are Nigerians and bring confusion into the team.

"When you find yourself in that situation, you try to advise, because you have agents that will be calling left, right and centre.

"If a coach is an agent, he will fall a victim too. Those are things that we really really need to avoid. There is no room to be trying new players."

Obasi could have been selected ahead of Uchebo or Uche Nwafor.. Nwafor scored against scotland or so, was doing good in Holland.. Uchebo showed some flash and gave us the false believe he could paly as a #10 or 8.. so those were the two people obasi lost his Super Eagles spot to.. Every other thing was settled by then.. It was a 50/50 decision.. Obasi was invited to camp prior ro final selection but lost out due to probables..

Your 50/50 theory is debunked by drop of Nsofor whom I'm sure was also ahead of Uchebo and nwafor; there could be no justification in this world for such blatant act but Bribery

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the--if he--if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not--that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement....Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true."

Nosa actually played himself off the team. Ike Uche had multiple strikes against him... refused to come in as a sub during the AFCON felt he was better than the folks playing in front him. And the game he was subbed out, he blatantly refused to track back and was subbed and subsequently benched.

The biggest injustice to me has to Brown Ideye.

Not China Doll Obasi, not Sarki not Imoh not Taiwo...

_________________THERE WAS A COUNTRY...

...can't cry more than the bereaved!Well done is better than well said!!!

Nosa actually played himself off the team. Ike Uche had multiple strikes against him... refused to come in as a sub during the AFCON felt he was better than the folks playing in front him. And the game he was subbed out, he blatantly refused to track back and was subbed and subsequently benched.

The biggest injustice to me has to Brown Ideye.

Not China Doll Obasi, not Sarki not Imoh not Taiwo...

This was and is still painful. The link between Ideye and Emenike was a good one for Nigeria.

_________________"Will we next create false gods to rule over us? How proud have we become, and how blind."

Obasi could have been selected ahead of Uchebo or Uche Nwafor.. Nwafor scored against scotland or so, was doing good in Holland.. Uchebo showed some flash and gave us the false believe he could paly as a #10 or 8.. so those were the two people obasi lost his Super Eagles spot to.. Every other thing was settled by then.. It was a 50/50 decision.. Obasi was invited to camp prior ro final selection but lost out due to probables..

Your 50/50 theory is debunked by drop of Nsofor whom I'm sure was also ahead of Uchebo and nwafor; there could be no justification in this world for such blatant act but Bribery

Nsofor's own, was more injury related I could understand that one, but for Obasi and Ideye not to even get a shot to fight on the provisional team, and for new unknown, unheralded players to be given the chance instead is super super suspect, and Amo has already said his piece, never good for coaches to also be agents...the Adebayor situation should have told us that a long time ago...oh well...

Ikechukwu Uche and Ideye's omissions were criminal. Obasi had injury concerns and Taiwo wasn't at his best in 2014 so his omission wasn't a suprise. Imoh had a good spell at Liege but it's hard to assess him since we saw so little of him in the SE.

Igiebor was also a player that could have been useful to the squad. I recall Martins was also doing well in the MLS back then, and was probably scoring enough for Seattle to earn a recall. Can't recall who else was on form back then.

Thanks for objectivity on the topic.The only criminal omission was Brown Ideye.

Ikechukwu Uche had issues with Keshi during AfCon. He was not happy been on the bench and a complained on the bench along the lines of how he is better than this and that player. He is omission was not surprising.

Taiwo, once he left Olympique Marseille, his career sort of went downhill.

_________________By the grace of God I am a Christian, by my deeds a great sinner.....The Way of a Pilgrim

Nosa actually played himself off the team. Ike Uche had multiple strikes against him... refused to come in as a sub during the AFCON felt he was better than the folks playing in front him. And the game he was subbed out, he blatantly refused to track back and was subbed and subsequently benched.

The biggest injustice to me has to Brown Ideye.

Not China Doll Obasi, not Sarki not Imoh not Taiwo...

The biggest joke was an injured Reuben Gabriel making the ANC squad and subsequently the WC and being paid match bonuses for all matches from friendlies to the tournaments totalling over $120k. This single selection "killed" my interest in Nigerian football and made me lose all respect I had for Keshi from his Principal Cup days. Rueben was injured before ANC, during ANC and after ANC. He was barely fit when he was included in the WC squad. And it wasn't even a secret.

I know people make mistakes in life but it took me so long to forgive Keshi for trying to destroy my love for Nigerian football. But he is niot the only one doing it. Our Youth football coaches are the biggest crooks.

_________________"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Nosa actually played himself off the team. Ike Uche had multiple strikes against him... refused to come in as a sub during the AFCON felt he was better than the folks playing in front him. And the game he was subbed out, he blatantly refused to track back and was subbed and subsequently benched.

The biggest injustice to me has to Brown Ideye.

Not China Doll Obasi, not Sarki not Imoh not Taiwo...

The biggest joke was an injured Reuben Gabriel making the ANC squad and subsequently the WC and being paid match bonuses for all matches from friendlies to the tournaments totalling over $120k. This single selection "killed" my interest in Nigerian football and made me lose all respect I had for Keshi from his Principal Cup days. Rueben was injured before ANC, during ANC and after ANC. He was barely fit when he was included in the WC squad. And it wasn't even a secret.

I know people make mistakes in life but it took me so long to forgive Keshi for trying to destroy my love for Nigerian football. But he is niot the only one doing it. Our Youth football coaches are the biggest crooks.

An injured Reuben was even named in the Confederations Cup squad, it was only after his manager at Kilmarnock said publicly that he doesn't not understand why an injured player was named in the Nigerian squad that Keshi dropped him.We had a thread on CE on how Belgian journalists revealed that Reuben was moved to Waasland-Beveren in January 2014, while still being injured and the club was promised the 50,000 euros that FIFA gives to WC squad players in order to register him a full SIX MONTHS before the WC!How about the roforofo fight between Pinnick, who was then Delta State FA chairman and Keshi over the latter's percentage share for the transfer of Sunday Mbah to Bastia, that initially scuttled the deal?How much evidence is needed in the culpability of the late coach in these sordid affairs?

Taye Taiwo has accused former Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi for his early exit from the national team set-up because of his dirty dealings.

The former AC Milan defender managed just a single appearance under late Keshi, an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Rwanda in February 2012, which was also the last of his 59 caps for Nigeria.

Taiwo made his Nigeria debut in 2004 and went on to play at the three Afcon tournaments and the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa during his eight-year international career, in which he scored five goals.

He claimed he dumped the three-time African champions because he does not want to be associated with dirty glory under Keshi, who guided the West African country to their last Afcon triumph in 2013 and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“I am someone who doesn't want dirty glory and in my life, I have never been involved in what is not clean and that was why I packed my bags and left the Super Eagles,” Taiwo was quoted by Legit.

''I cannot work or stay where I see that is dirty because I am serving a clean God, and if I am in an area that is not clean, I will have to leave the place.

''When they appointed Stephen Keshi as coach, he was acting somehow in which I told myself that it was time for me to leave the Super Eagles.

''I packed my bags and I told my wife and family that I cannot be involved in dirty deals.”

Taiwo’s statement comes in the wake of the latest controversy in the Super Eagles after former Schalke 04 star Chinedu Obasi revealed he was dropped from Keshi’s team for the 2014 World Cup because he refused to pay a bribe.

Didn't Adebayor also accuse Keshi of bribes when he was the coach of Togo ?

Folks there is no smoke without fire.

I am glad this is all comming to the surface, but that era was so rampant with corruption.

I doubt Keshi would ask Bayor for a bribe. You ask for bribes from borderline or longshot players whose dropping/non-selection will not raise eyebrows. No way he justifies not selecting an established player like Bayor so it would've been stupid of Keshi to demand bribe from him. It is more likely that Keshi clashed with him on other disciplinary related issues and Bayor just threw this allegation out there to muddy the water.

Didn't Adebayor also accuse Keshi of bribes when he was the coach of Togo ?

Folks there is no smoke without fire.

I am glad this is all comming to the surface, but that era was so rampant with corruption.

I doubt Keshi would ask Bayor for a bribe. You ask for bribes from borderline or longshot players whose dropping/non-selection will not raise eyebrows. No way he justifies not selecting an established player like Bayor so it would've been stupid of Keshi to demand bribe from him. It is more likely that Keshi clashed with him on other disciplinary related issues and Bayor just threw this allegation out there to muddy the water.

From what I remember it wasn't a bribe, he wanted to be his agent, and Adebayor told him he already had one...found the story